Flying

A quality air charter provider should be able to have you in the air within two hours of receiving a call for a pop-up, or last-minute, domestic flight. [See “Taking Off in a Hurry”] But what if you need to alter the passenger manifest or amend your destination shortly before takeoff?

The latest generation of “little Lears” represents a big departure from what Bill Lear envisioned when he started his iconic company 50 years ago. The original Learjet 23 forced passengers to trade comfort for speed in a cramped cabin with few amenities and limited range. My, how times have changed.

The changing face of global commerce is rerouting flight plans. “Many companies are using large-cabin, long-range business jets to provide nonstop access to overseas markets, especially Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa,” said Ed Bolen, the National Business Aviation Association’s CEO.

It’s no secret that the fractional aircraft industry has limped along during the Great Recession and following anemic recovery period, but one provider—Clearwater, Florida-based Avantair—has seemed to defy gravity.

Creating a more comfortable cabin is a never-ending goal for the builders of business and private jets and their suppliers. Seats have been redesigned so the passenger no longer slides forward when they’re reclined. Carpet makers have created new designs in blends of silk and wool that entice the passenger to walk barefoot.

Bringing a soiled brand back to life is never easy—particularly with airplanes. You can count the successful revivals on one hand, most notably Bombardier’s triumph with Learjet. Now, with Sikorsky’s help, Eclipse Aerospace is poised to join this elite fraternity. Production of the Eclipse 550 is scheduled to start this summer.